Press release from Police Scotland (28 February 2025):
APPEAL FOR INFORMATION AFTER BIRD OF PREY SHOT NEAR STRATHDON
Officers are appealing for information after a bird of prey was shot near Strathdon.
On Wednesday, 26 February 2025, we received a report of a red kite having being shot sometime between Monday, 3 and Tuesday, 4 February in the Glenbuchat area of Strathdon after being found by a member of the public.
The bird was recovered with the assistance of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) where the cause of death was not apparent at that time. Following further investigations, it has been established that the bird had been shot and police were contacted.
Detective Constable Danny Crilley of the Wildlife Crime Unit said: “Red kites are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and it is illegal to kill any protected species.
“Enquiries are ongoing and we are working with our partner agencies to establish the full circumstances of this incident.
“I would appeal to anyone with any information that may assist our investigation to contact us. Your information could be vital in in establishing what has happened. If you were in the Glenbuchat area on Monday, 3 or Tuesday, 4 February, and saw anything suspicious or have any information about shooting activity in the area, please contact us.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0846 of Thursday, 27 February. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.”
ENDS
First of all, well done to Police Scotland for issuing a speedy appeal for information, just two days after being notified about this shot red kite.
It’s not clear from the press release whether this shot raptor was found on or next to a grouse moor. However, the ‘Glenbuchat area of Strathdon’ is certainly in close proximity to land managed for driven grouse shooting.
The Strathdon area of the Cairngorms National Park has long been recognised as a raptor persecution hotspot, as this map demonstrates:
This is a map I published in 2020 following the discovery of a poisoned White-tailed eagle on an unnamed grouse moor in the area (here).
The black dots on the map represent raptor persecution incidents recorded between 2005-2020, based on data from the RSPB, the golden eagle satellite tag review, and other data in the public domain. The Strathdon area is circled.
Those incidents in Strathdon include a poisoned raven (2006), a poisoned common gull (2006), multiple poisoned baits (2006), a shot buzzard (2009), a poisoned golden eagle (2011), a poisoned buzzard (2011), poisoned bait (2011), a shot short-eared owl (2011), two satellite-tagged golden eagles ‘disappearing’ (2011), another satellite-tagged golden eagle ‘disappearing’ (2013), a satellite-tagged white-tailed eagle ‘disappearing’ (2014), a goshawk nest shot out by masked men (2014), a shot goshawk (2016), another satellite-tagged golden eagle ‘disappearing’ (2017), a satellite-tagged hen harrier ‘disappearing’ (2018), another satellite-tagged hen harrier ‘disappearing’ (2019), and another satellite-tagged hen harrier ‘disappearing’ (2020).
Nobody was prosecuted in any of these cases.
The Strathdon area was also identified as a golden eagle persecution hotspot in the Scottish Government-commissioned scientific report, Analyses of the fates of satellite-tracked golden eagles in Scotland, published in 2017 and eventually leading to the introduction of the grouse moor licensing scheme in 2024:
It would be interesting to know whether this shot red kite was found on or next to a grouse moor and if it was, whether an associated grouse moor licence will be revoked as a consequence, which was the clear intention of the Scottish Parliament when it voted through the Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 almost a year ago last March.
My guess is that it won’t lead to a licence revocation, even if the red kite was found on or close to a grouse moor, because it will be virtually impossible to connect its death to the management of the grouse moor (as the new, shambolic and unenforceable licence condition now specifies).
Just like the shot osprey found in the Angus Glens on the opening day of the grouse-shooting season in August 2024 (here) and the shot peregrine, also found in the Angus Glens, in September 2024 (here), there won’t be any consequences for those responsible.
The raptor killers are still at, and they’re still getting away with their crimes.
For those who think the grouse moor licensing scheme is failing, and that the Scottish Government hasn’t shown any signs of intending to fix it even though it acknowledges there are issues (e.g. see here), there’s an alternative option – and that is to ban driven grouse shooting.
Wild Justice currently has a live petition calling for such a ban. It’s been supported by 67,432 members of the public so far but needs 100,000 signatures to trigger a Parliamentary debate. Please sign here to support it.
UPDATE 1st March 2025: Cairngorms National Park Authority condemns latest shooting of red kite (here)
UPDATE 2 May 2025: Two men charged in relation to illegal killing of Red Kites in Cairngorms National Park (here)
Raptor Persecution UK 
Whilst people are driving around with Shotguns in vehicles anywhere in the UK this will keep happening and no matter how they appeal for information they will have limited success.The petition is not widely available and would make very little difference same as the licensing scheme these people have a great deal of wealth and unfortunately the full support of many people with the authority are well embedded on this gravy train. It’s high time that it was made illegal to drive around with guns and ammunition anywhere in the UK but that won’t happen either. A gamekeeper who used to live down the road was well known for pulling over to shoot birds of prey wherever he saw them luckily he did get prosecuted in the end for crimes he committed against badgers.
The keeper you mention – did you notice if the prosecution made him change his ways? Or perhaps just his methods? Personally, I think a typical prosecution that is just a fine & a bit of embarrassment serves only as a reality check and doesn’t change the mindset in most of them one bit, just makes them put more thought & effort into their approach in future.
I half remember reading that firing a gun within a distance from a Right-of-Way is illegal, perhaps 50 yards? Is it still? Only in England?
You’re maybe thinking of Section 161 of Highways Act 1980 E&W. But it only applies if “a user of the highway is injured, interrupted or endangered”. Meaningless anyway in the real world. You would need a copper who really wanted to open up an ugly can of worms – regards the very common practice of pheasant shoots that line the Guns out along little C roads on drives on their estate. There’s at least one grouse drive on a minor road where the butts are either side of the road. The road is defacto closed during the drive with a flanker in the road blocking the way, but there’s no signage official or otherwise to be seen.
Thank you
I live in Glenbuchat. I can’t express just how pissed off I am that we’re back in the news yet again for all the wrong reasons. What sort of ‘national park’ is it that can’t protect its wildlife?
I see this shooting fearures on the Nat Pk FB page. Might this be a new direction from them?
Ban Driven Grouse shooting end of These appalling crimes are always above the law as someone said in a previous comment driving round in four by fours warm right clothing guns with sights all in each other’s back pockets they know they are untouchable areas so vast you can’t possibly touch them looking after each other’s backs it all makes me want to vomit FFS. All said by you alsere32. I can’t bear to click on the site it breaks my already broken heart. xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Nothing anyone can say will help your broken heart, Karen – but be assured you are not alone.
We have to hope that these ‘untouchables’ will one day get their just desserts and this mindless slaughter will end.
Hope so Lesleymarian hope it all ends before I die it’s very wearing a d upsetting for all .